Kylie & Jack 1: Humble Beginnings

56. Old Meets New

At some point before dawn, Jack stumbled into Wog's apartment building. He could barely stand up straight, let alone see where he was going. It was a miracle that he was able to pay the taxi for the drive without losing his card and get buzzed into the building – actually it was a surprise that Wog even heard the intercom and even answered it. He had some woman with him and they were trying to get as tangled up as possible.

Leaning heavily against the wall, Jack dragged his feet towards the elevator and was already groaning. As soon as the doors closed and he pressed the right button – he had squinted and basically pressed his face into the control panel – he felt the mechanical whirring followed by that sickening lurch that made Jack feel like his feet had been sucked out from beneath him and his head throb like an overheated, swollen pressure cooker.

Sluggishly reading out the door numbers, Jack finally stopped outside Wog's apartment and crashed headfirst against it, while beating his fist into the door.

"Oi Wog! Open up mate!"

Gravity vanished on Jack when the door opened and he was suddenly falling forwards, his knees having given way. He heard Wog cackling somewhere inside the apartment and felt feminine hands on his waist, trying to steady him.

Jack had fallen face first into the woman Wog had hooked up with and it only made her think that Jack was just as easy as Wog now. She tried to pull him towards the lounge with her but Jack grumbled something and stumbled free of her hold, crashing into the coffee table behind him. He wobbled and fumbled backwards to the other lounge next to Wog, who was still cackling hard, kicking his legs in the air.

"Fuck me!" Wog howled, clutching his chest. Jack groaned, barely sitting on the lounge.

"F–uck you ..." Jack groaned, trying to roll onto his side and bury his face in the cushion. This only made Wog laugh harder. The woman was confused, she thought she was here for wild ride – hell, even a threesome, now there were two blokes here, she didn't care.

Wog hauled himself upright and hit Jack's shoulder, "hey – hey Brooko – she's up for a fuck –"

The woman stood in front of them both and started to sway her hips, agreeing with Wog. She was more than game right now. Jack, however, had fallen fast asleep.

So, Wog cackled as he got to his feet, slapped the woman on the arse shuttling her towards the bedroom. She looked over her shoulder at Jack and back to Wog with a pout, "he's not gonna join us?"

"Sorry mate, looks like the poor bastard grew up – c'mon ..."

Jack rolled onto his back in the dark apartment and stared up at the ceiling trying to figure out what the hell the noise was. It had only been twenty minutes since he first passed out and what he could hear were the cringe–worthy sounds of his best mate and the random woman having sex.

Jack groaned loudly, grabbed another pillow and pressed it over his face. It never occurred to him that his housemates probably did the same thing when Kylie would stay over, but frankly if she wanted to scream a house down with him, he was all for it.

Although he knew now that Kylie hadn't enjoyed much luck in the relationship department, he had only suspected as much a year ago. Ever since that December day two years ago, Jack had been inexplicably drawn to Kylie, though his motivation to get closer to her changed over time.

At first, all he wanted to do was crack that shell of hers, because she was just this unobtainable woman. Beautiful, witty, sarcastic at times, savage most other times and vulnerable. But then he had got to know her a little better on the drive home after the end of her first term as the relieving principal. He had walked into her office to see if she was ready to leave and caught her crying. She had downplayed it, hastily wiping her eyes and avoiding his gaze. Jack had no idea that when he just sat down next to her and asked if she was alright that he was rewriting the damage Luke had done. From that moment onwards, Jack found himself wanting to get to know her.